Microsoft finally begins the Windows Phone 7 update

Updating Windows Phone 7 has been anything but easy. Firsts, a minor upgrade bricked Samsung devices, and then Microsoft announced it would be delaying its first real update until late March. But that day has finally come and yesterday the manufacturer began rolling out the first OS upgrade.

But if you’re a Windows Phone 7 user, you might be waiting awhile, as the update could take weeks for some carriers. It should be well worth it, as the update will include copy-and-paste capability, application performance improvements, CDMA support, and easier browsing functionality in Marketplace. Apparently, Microsoft included a slew of other new features into the update as well:

Better Wi-Fi. Users will now be able to see their Media Access Control in their settings, which helps when connecting to Wi-Fi networks. Better yet, there will be no limit on how many Wi-Fi networks you can keep stored on the phone, so you’ll get an all-around quicker process when starting up a connection or trying to access an application.

Better Facebook. Microsoft syncing with your account will now be easier.

Better camera and audio. Switching from stills to record has been simplified, and using Bluetooth for calling while your phone is also running music or video should also be improved.

According to reports, users will receive a notification on their phones when the update is ready. Unfortunately, there’s really no telling how long that might be. Mobile Burn reports that “NoDo” is “currently only available for unbranded and unlocked European phones that are not tied to a specific carrier.” Apparently, carrier-branded devices are going to be later on the list of updated phones, so hang tight while Microsoft rolls NoDo out (with the exception of the Sprint HTC Arrive, which came packaged for US consumers with all the upgrades included in NoDo).